Maria Howell's journey in the entertainment industry began with her impressive performance as the choir soloist in the Oscar-nominated film "The Color Purple". She then went on to appear in several hit TV shows, including Lifetime's "Army Wives", Marc Cherry's "Devious Maids", Eric Kripke and J.J. Abrams' apocalyptic series "Revolution", and "Aquarius" starring X-Files' David Duchovny, all on NBC.
Maria also made guest appearances on CBS's "Criminal Minds" and "The Resident", and recurred in Bounce TV's "Saints & Sinners" for three seasons as Lt. Hawkins. Her theatrical credits include "The Blind Side", "Hunger Games: Catching Fire" (Seeder),"Christmas Wedding Baby" (Miranda),and "Hidden Figures" (Ms. Sumner),as well as Hallmark's Hall of Fame "A Christmas Love Story" starring Kristin Chenoweth, Hallmark's Mahogany Movie "To Her, With Love" (starring Skye Marshall),and "Summer Camp" (starring Alfre Woodard, Kathy Bates, and Diane Keaton),co-starring Victoria Rowell, Beverly D'Angelo, and Maria Howell.
As a song stylist, Maria has had the privilege of sharing the stage with legendary artists such as Nancy Wilson, George Benson, Ray Charles, and Earl Klugh. After a successful six-year stint in Asia, Maria relocated back to the U.S. and performed at Sambuca Jazz Café for nine consecutive years, from 2002 to its closing in December 2010. She and pianist Bill Wilson, son of legendary jazz pianist Teddy Wilson, held the distinction of being the longest-running act at the Atlanta location.
Since then, Maria has resided bi-coastal, performing at well-known jazz/supper clubs and festivals across the U.S. As a VoiceOver artist, Maria lends her voice to numerous TV and radio commercials, animation, video games, and audiobook narrations.
In addition to her acting and singing career, Maria is a devoted supporter and Advisory Board Member of several charities, including Students Without Mothers, The James M. Dixon Foundation, Tosco Music, and Ava's Heart. Born in Gastonia, North Carolina, Maria has made a lasting impact in the entertainment industry and beyond.
